Facts on Vitamin C Products and C Serum

Here are 9 facts on Vitamin C Serum from Dr Joanne Turner and her Blog - Skin Revision.

Facts on Vitamin C Products and C Serum - Is it all hype?

I recommend everyone put Vitamin C and E onto their face daily because they protect against UV induced cell damage. It is this sun damage that not only causes premature aging but also skin cancers. However Vitamin C has other properties including being one of the few ingredients that has a science base to show that it reverses signs of aging to the skin.

Vitamin C was originally used in skin care products in the form of ascorbic acid. At a 10% concentration and low ph, ascorbic acid has been shown to stimulate collagen, decrease wrinkle depth and have lightening effects on pigmentation. It was thought that a minimum 10% concentration was required but newer information indicate that lower concentration (5%) may have benefit. It is best to stay with products that have this concentration or above.

9 Facts about vitamin C serums

1. Consumer beware - not all products contain sufficient vitamin C to be of benefit Most products on the market do not have sufficient concentration to be of benefit to the skin. Many companies, keen to cash in on the market trends for antioxidants in skin care, put only miniscule amounts in and consumers unknowingly will buy a product that will be of no benefit. Unfortunately you cannot judge from the prestige or price of the product you buy, you need to look at the concentrations.

2. Vitamin C does not work in everyone For reasons that are not yet known, Ascorbic Acid at a good concentration does not work in everyone. It may only be 60% of the population who get the age reversing benefits of vitamin C. Some people who do not respond to Ascorbic Acid however still get anti-aging benefits from the newer vitamin C derivatives. (Discussed later). Vitamin C, however is a potent antioxidant and you still should get the benefits of protection from UV induced cell damage even if it does not keep you looking younger.

3. Vitamin C in the form of Ascorbic Acid is very expensive. Vitamin C is very unstable and difficult to get into a formulation this in part explains why ascorbic acid skin products tend to be very expensive.

4. Your Vitamin C may oxidise before you get to put it on your skin The biggest problem with Ascorbic Acid creams and serums is that because they are unstable, they are oxidised very quickly and once it is oxidised it does not provide any benefit to the skin at all. Even in stabilised formulations there is a risk that before you get your precious vitamin C cream or serum home, it will already be useless and worse may even because more damage to your skin than good.

5. Watch for yellowing of your serum- it indicates oxidation As it undergoes oxidation the ascorbic acid takes on a yellowish tinge, so it is important to check your creams or serums before you put them on your face, and if there is any yellow discolouration, DISCARD.

There is a problem with the colour check as the first stage of oxidation is colourless, so prior to going yellow it can be in an oxidised state that cannot be detected.

6. Do not buy vitamin C preparations that are tinted yellow or orange The second problem with using a colour test is that many vitamin C serums are tinted and you will not be not be able to detect if it is oxidised by visual checking. Why a company would do this is beyond me, when they know the difficulties of instability of vitamin C formulations oxidising. If you didn’t trust them you would think they are deliberately trying to mislead. Do not buy tinted formulations of vitamin C.

7. Vitamin C derivatives are more stable, less expensive and effective at lower concentrations There are newer derivatives of Vitamin C: Ascorbyl palmitate, Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, and some of these are proving as effective as ascorbic acid in collagen stimulation. Refer Smartskincare an excellent science based skin care site. These derivatives are effective in lower concentrations, are more stable and less expensive and as such may be a better choice. There is a battle among some of the big cosmetic houses as to which is most effective but the newest Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate if particularly promising, and seems to work in some people who are resistant to Ascorbic Acid.

8. There is nothing special about the base cream or serum that the vitamin C (or any other active product) is delivered in Thinking about it logically, if a product has 10% ascorbic acid in stabilised form, or 2% Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (the active ingredient) then no matter what the cost it will be equally effective, as there is no base serum or cream that has properties that make it effective in anti-aging-and that is the truth.

This is illustrated with my recent comment on Boots no 7 perfect and protect - where a chain store anti-aging cream is matching up to more expensive prestige brands and winning. The reason: it is the active ingredients that has the effect, no matter what advertising trys to seduce you - REMEMBER THIS FACT.

9. You can make your own Vitamin C Serum There is however some ingredients that are now considered state of the art in modern skin care. Among these is a group of base ingredients that help protect the skin and maintain the intercellular network. Refer Cosmetic Cop - Paula Begoun cosmetic ingredients dictionary on natural moisturising factors. These do not have anti—aging benefit but protect the skin and assist in repair. Glycerin is one of these, other very good protectants and natural moisturisers are ceramides and silicones.

Guidelines for Using Zinc Oxide to Treat Acne

There has been a lot of press recently about Zinc and Zinc Oxide in skincare and cosmetic products. Zinc can be found in many natural sunscreens ans well as moisturizing lotions and creams.  Zinc - or Micronized zinc oxide -  is produced by high temperature processing of minerals that contain zinc. Some brands contain micronized zinc oxide, combined with an inert ingredient derived from silica. The result is a naturally protective product to protect you from the sun’s damaging UV and UVB rays.

Zinc is a mineral and it is also believed that it has curative properties on a skin where there are acne growths and can reduce the symptoms of acne. Many alternative studies have indicated that this is not the case. So is there a connection between the two?

According to research carried out in recent years, zinc has the same properties of antibiotics such as tetracycline and it can fight the acne bacteria efficiently without the negative effects of antibiotics. Reportedly, zinc also enhances the immunity of the body when ingested as a supplement. So what is zinc and what is the zinc acne connection all about? How does the zinc acne treatment affect the sufferers and what is the best way to use this treatment?

You will find traces of the zinc mineral in various food items such as mushrooms, soybeans, legumes, fish, sunflower seeds, egg yolks, soy lecithin and also in whole grains. Zinc is also present in many herbs such as dandelion, eyebright, cayenne, chamomile, mullein, nettle, milk thistle, alfalfa and in the burdock root. Zinc forms a part of insulin and can be found in the tissues.

There are many useful properties of zinc like providing the person with energy, prohibiting blindness, aiding the process of digestion by being a part of enzymes, supporting the reaction of more than 30 enzymes, strengthening the immunity, regulation of Vitamin E in the blood, helping the body absorb Vitamin A and B, speeding up the process of healing, regulating insulin, and it also fights bacteria. Zinc is also present in estrogen, testosterone and growth hormones.

So how does zinc help a person suffering from acne?  Zinc moisturizers and sunscreens may be a good first step to taking care of your skin from the outside.

The causes of acne are all internal and they are imbalance in the level of hormones and build up toxic materials within the body. The hormones are responsible for producing oils, and the zinc can regulate the oil glands, and so if you can take them correctly (that is in the right quantity, quality and the correct essential fatty acids) you will be able to have some control over the level of hormones and this will ease the symptoms of your acne greatly.

Zinc also helps absorb Vitamin A, and fights the bacteria that causes acne by strengthening the immune system, helps the body heal wounds and contains anti oxidant properties. All these are useful in tackling the secondary causes of acne and will help you greatly reduce the symptoms of acne.

Another ability of zinc for acne is that it can regulate the production of hormones, which is a main reason one acquires acne. However for this to happen, it needs to be taken in the correct quantity and in combination with essential fatty acids. This mineral needs to be properly absorbed within the body and work together with other nutrients for the hormones to be balanced.

While zinc as an acne treatment may be effective, it is very important however to take care and not mix it with some chemical substances, supplements and food items because they will make the zinc less effective.  You should always consult your doctor or research a supplement before taking any internal treatments.

There are some food items, ( inhibitors) like supplements and physical conditions that can prevent zinc from being properly absorbed in the body. This may significantly reduce the impact of zinc on the acne.

One of these inhibitors is Phytic acid.  Usually found in high levels in grains. The acid can reduce the absorption by about 15%.  And thus, those who are suffering from acne need to reduce their grain consumption to one to two servings a day. Grains may lead to mucus and acidity and taking them with zinc for acne can be a challenge.

Another zinc inhibitor is soy protein. If you are using zinc for an acne treatment, you need to eat less soy as it can bind to minerals and lead to less zinc absorption. Then there are other minerals like copper and inorganic iron. They also come in the way of zinc for acne bio-availability. However this issue can be solved easily, unless of course you are suffering from copper toxicity. Try not to take copper more than 2-3 mg a day and also do not take inorganic iron supplements.

Too much of physical exertion may lead to an increased demand by the body for zinc and thus, when you are exercising, you need to also take more zinc for acne treatments.

Following these tips and zinc guidines should have you well on your way to beautiful skin in no time!